Not that I want to start an argument or anything, and I understand that some people have VW's from the last 5 years that they love, but 2000-2005 VW's have some of the worst reliability reports in the industry. I had to lemon two of them in a two year period (2002 jetta 1.8t, 2003 gti vr6). Just sayin'.
high mpg + reliability= ???
- Thread starter Jngrbrdman
- Start date
Sherman8r44
New member
If you want reliablity there's really only two brands (and their counterparts) you can depend on forever, both clearly mentioned in this thread--Honda and Toyota. The new Civics look cool, and if power isn't a big thing have a look into the Prius--very roomy for its size and excellent MPG. And of course there's the tried and true (but boring) Corolla, which gets great gas milage and will last a lifetime.
Jngrbrdman
New member
Cephas said:
I got 26 mpg average in my Integra GSR and that is a lot more agressive than any Civic. 19 mpg is less than I get in my turbo awd subaru. Something is wrong with a civic that only gets that. Definitely not the average. I appreciate the tips though. I need to go car shopping locally and see what I can find. I know I can get a 2002 Civic for around 10K and that is acceptable. I'd like to keep it around that though. I'm enjoying not having a car payment right now.
The Fuzz
New member
Buy my Camaro. I haven't filled the tank since July. Of course, it has been on blocks since then... but still. It is saving me tons of money on gas right now. 
DetailQueen said:
DQ - My 05 Civic is the EX Special Edition. Definitely a good deal being fully decked out... while visiting my honda dealer Wednesday he indicated that if any of these are left on car lots you can probably pick em up for exceptionally cheap since the 06's just came out.
The Special Edition does have the larger VTEC but I still get the 37 to 40 on the road. Must admit that I do not drive real aggressively. Typically I hang in the left with the faster traffic and cruise, but typically not much heavy acceleration, either while on the road or from the traffic light. Sorta conservatively aggressive, I guess?
Hawaiianelement
I love silicone !!
I like the looks of the Scions but they're way low on Horsepower. At least the XA and XB are . Something like just alittle over a 100hp. The TC has around 150hp I think.
Has some of you know I have a Honda Element for my Mobile jobs . I love it .
Have you tried the Civic Hybrid???
I work for Northwest Airlines and we filed Chap 11 the same day as Delta . Since I'm unionized we haven't had to take any cuts but I know they're coming soon. Just look what they did to Uniteds unions... :hump:
Has some of you know I have a Honda Element for my Mobile jobs . I love it .
Have you tried the Civic Hybrid???
I work for Northwest Airlines and we filed Chap 11 the same day as Delta . Since I'm unionized we haven't had to take any cuts but I know they're coming soon. Just look what they did to Uniteds unions... :hump:
I tried the Civic Hybrid and was not very impressed. 3K more than the special edition, not as well equiped as the special edition, less horse & torque than the special edition, and rated only 8 mpg more than the special edition. Additionally, some of the boards that I read owners were saying that while they loved the car, in order to get near the stated mileage was to drive like granny.
Although I really wanted to get a Hybrid, I just couldn't justify it versus the special edition for these reasons .
Although I really wanted to get a Hybrid, I just couldn't justify it versus the special edition for these reasons .
I look at it like this...You have a car that is paid off. You trade that in on a car that also brings with it a car payment. The money you will save on the extra fuel will take a considerable time (years) to equal out. Plus the insurance might go up....Look at it like this....If you have a car that gets 25mpg and you avg 12k miles a year....at 2.75 gas price you spend $1320 a year in gas...If gas goes to 3.50 then it goes to $1680 a year...Only $360 extra...or $30 a month...Car payment is likely to be at minimum $250 a month on new car...Just my thoughts.....My truck gets 15/20.....It sucks but I like what I drive...may change my mind later...but for now, I will spend the extra $40 a month for gas....Can't pull trailers and go off road with a car....I suggest you really do the numbers and see how long it will take you to even out $$$$$ when comparing how much money you save in gas monthly versus how much the car payment is....JMO of course
atticdog
New member
get a 2003 toyota echo for around $8000
completely reliable and 40+ mpg
completely reliable and 40+ mpg
TrueDetailer
All About The Bling Bling
you could always get a early vw bug 60-70's. :lol: you know the scion xb is awesome. it gets decent mpg and it has alot of room. I'm 6'7 300 pounds and i have plenty of room being the driver or a backseat rider.
Jngrbrdman
New member
The Echo isn't going to happen. I've got serious issues with that car thinking it is ok to move the gauge pod around. The Scion isn't going to happen either. The only thing looking like the xB that I'd be caught dead in is the box they bury me in. I think those things are the worst looking cars since the Aztec. Just personal opinion though.... everybody is a critic.
Depending on the promotion or not will probably have a lot to do with what we decide to do. Personally I'd love to get a new(er) car just so I don't have to worry about the maintance factor. Jennifer has a problem telling me when something is starting to go wrong in her car. I have to drive it to find out the brakes are totally shot. I need something that I don't have to worry about falling apart on her just because she doesn't realize what certian things mean. All I know is that we just want a normal looking car. Nothing crazy like a Scion and definitely nothing German. I'd like to stick with something japanese so my Subaru can talk to it in the garage at night.
Depending on the promotion or not will probably have a lot to do with what we decide to do. Personally I'd love to get a new(er) car just so I don't have to worry about the maintance factor. Jennifer has a problem telling me when something is starting to go wrong in her car. I have to drive it to find out the brakes are totally shot. I need something that I don't have to worry about falling apart on her just because she doesn't realize what certian things mean. All I know is that we just want a normal looking car. Nothing crazy like a Scion and definitely nothing German. I'd like to stick with something japanese so my Subaru can talk to it in the garage at night.
Hawaiianelement
I love silicone !!
Come to think of it the Echo looks like an Aztec doesn't it ??
For what its worth the Civic 2dr and 4dr have started to appeal to me. I like the looks of the 2dr Accord also if its sitting right. I must be getting old...37..
For what its worth the Civic 2dr and 4dr have started to appeal to me. I like the looks of the 2dr Accord also if its sitting right. I must be getting old...37..
atticdog
New member
The instrument pod being in the middle doesnt bother me at all
this is the 03 echo with sport package
this is the 03 echo with sport package
The Fuzz
New member
I've always been one to believe that if the car in your driveway doesn't excite you, then you shouldn't buy it. If there is something that doesn't work for you (like a guage pod in the middle of the dash) then it probably isn't a car you will be able to get excited about. A front wheel drive car doesn't excite me. I wouldn't be able to have one in my driveway and be excited about it. I'd rather ride a bicylce. At least it is rear wheel drive.
Hawaiianelement
I love silicone !!
I'll give atticdog 10 pts for the Hayabusa. That would be my daily driver ..
Just to clear a few things up I put Passat, not any other VW. The Passat is an Audi built in Audi factories in Germany, the other VWs sold in the US are all built in Mexico, different quailty control, and different engines. Even if the engines have the same displacment/cylinder count. Look up the part numbers and engineering specs they are not the same. This is ONLY true from 97-01, 01.5-05, the B5/B5.5 platform. The 06 B6 platform is pure VW which is to say most likely junk.
Civic's and Integra's have entierly different engines (they share a platform only, meaning they have the same basic unibody stampings and hard points, not too much else) and the Integra gets far better gas miledge when driven hard or aggressivly. The main reason for this is you don't have to work it as hard to get the power. Torque and horsepower both peak at lower revs plus there is more horsepower and torque at those revs, less revs with more power mean less gas consumption - unless you're talking about a a V6 compared to a V8 or an I4 to a V6. The key with the Civic VTEC is to stay under 4500 rpm (this is where the variable cam and valve profiles come into play). I live at 90mph or above on the freeway, driving from San Diego to LA several times a week for going on 15 years now. I don't slow doown unless I must, most of the time I accelerate and go around - I've never had or been involved in an accident in case somebody thinks I'm crazy. If you do this in a Civic I promise you crap miledge. Most likely you won't be doing this four/five times a week.
Either way it doesn't really matter, if you want excellent reliability, keep up on the oil changes, inspections, etc. I see alot of new cars having problems at 30-40,000 thousand miles or less simply because people get busy and go 10,000 miles or more between changes. Remember no engine is reliable without lubrication! And very rarly will the manufacturer warrenty an engine that has dirty oil in it, maintenance is requiered to keep the warranty valid.
There is not a car built in the last 10 almost years that is cheap to repair, or reliable without regular maintenance. Not trying to be a jerk, just wanted to let you know that no matter what you get, unless it's an old car - one before ABS, drive-by-wire, variable valve timing, etc - it's in your best interest to be very very pro-active in how you treat the car. Follow all manufactures instructions to the letter, except try to do the 7,500 mile service at 6000 miles instead. I can't make sense of it, but I have noticed that (almost) regardless of make, the cars owned by people who maintain thier vehicles, and fix things early dont have problems with anything, even old Jaguars. The people who ignore thier vehicles and "just drive" have problems with everything, like a guy yesterday that had 2 bad valves in a 2002 Corolla with 29,000 miles. He didn't change the oil except for twice in that period, when the dealer saw the sludge build up in the engine they refused warrenty, he wanted them to fix it he had to pay, $100 for the inspection and another $3800 if he wanted the valve fixed. So, cause he couldn't take the 30 minutes to get his oil changed he is now taking about a week to get a valve job. But since he took it to me (an independent shop) he's getting away cheap for about $3200!
Owners make reliable cars, and any 4 cylinder engine driven normally will get you about 30 mpg or so. Look at everything and buy what you like. I've owned a lot of cars including, an '84 Dodge Daytona, '90 Nissan Pulsar, '89 & '97 Honda Civics and '88 Accord, '92 Mitsubishi Eclipse, '95 Hyundai Elantra, '00 VW Passat, '03 BMW 330, '02 Audi A6 and '05 Land Rover LR3, I've never had a problem or major repair on any of these cars, I've always done the maintenance religiously. As a 3rd generation mechanic I can honestly say treat the car right and it will run forever, treat it wrong and you will have problems sooner or later.
If you want a car the will run forever no matter what get something made before electronics took over the vehicle, pre-1995 or so depending on the car.
Civic's and Integra's have entierly different engines (they share a platform only, meaning they have the same basic unibody stampings and hard points, not too much else) and the Integra gets far better gas miledge when driven hard or aggressivly. The main reason for this is you don't have to work it as hard to get the power. Torque and horsepower both peak at lower revs plus there is more horsepower and torque at those revs, less revs with more power mean less gas consumption - unless you're talking about a a V6 compared to a V8 or an I4 to a V6. The key with the Civic VTEC is to stay under 4500 rpm (this is where the variable cam and valve profiles come into play). I live at 90mph or above on the freeway, driving from San Diego to LA several times a week for going on 15 years now. I don't slow doown unless I must, most of the time I accelerate and go around - I've never had or been involved in an accident in case somebody thinks I'm crazy. If you do this in a Civic I promise you crap miledge. Most likely you won't be doing this four/five times a week.
Either way it doesn't really matter, if you want excellent reliability, keep up on the oil changes, inspections, etc. I see alot of new cars having problems at 30-40,000 thousand miles or less simply because people get busy and go 10,000 miles or more between changes. Remember no engine is reliable without lubrication! And very rarly will the manufacturer warrenty an engine that has dirty oil in it, maintenance is requiered to keep the warranty valid.
There is not a car built in the last 10 almost years that is cheap to repair, or reliable without regular maintenance. Not trying to be a jerk, just wanted to let you know that no matter what you get, unless it's an old car - one before ABS, drive-by-wire, variable valve timing, etc - it's in your best interest to be very very pro-active in how you treat the car. Follow all manufactures instructions to the letter, except try to do the 7,500 mile service at 6000 miles instead. I can't make sense of it, but I have noticed that (almost) regardless of make, the cars owned by people who maintain thier vehicles, and fix things early dont have problems with anything, even old Jaguars. The people who ignore thier vehicles and "just drive" have problems with everything, like a guy yesterday that had 2 bad valves in a 2002 Corolla with 29,000 miles. He didn't change the oil except for twice in that period, when the dealer saw the sludge build up in the engine they refused warrenty, he wanted them to fix it he had to pay, $100 for the inspection and another $3800 if he wanted the valve fixed. So, cause he couldn't take the 30 minutes to get his oil changed he is now taking about a week to get a valve job. But since he took it to me (an independent shop) he's getting away cheap for about $3200!
Owners make reliable cars, and any 4 cylinder engine driven normally will get you about 30 mpg or so. Look at everything and buy what you like. I've owned a lot of cars including, an '84 Dodge Daytona, '90 Nissan Pulsar, '89 & '97 Honda Civics and '88 Accord, '92 Mitsubishi Eclipse, '95 Hyundai Elantra, '00 VW Passat, '03 BMW 330, '02 Audi A6 and '05 Land Rover LR3, I've never had a problem or major repair on any of these cars, I've always done the maintenance religiously. As a 3rd generation mechanic I can honestly say treat the car right and it will run forever, treat it wrong and you will have problems sooner or later.
If you want a car the will run forever no matter what get something made before electronics took over the vehicle, pre-1995 or so depending on the car.